Masked…and arrested

Two men face charges after someone tried to steal copper wire in Blenheim Monday morning.

According to police, an officer of foot patrol in Blenheim was approached by a citizen who said they saw two men in masks stripping wire from air conditioning units at a Talbot Street business.

Police followed up and located the suspects.

Two men, aged 43, from Blenheim and Chatham-Kent respectively, are charged with mischief over $5,000, theft and possession of stolen goods.

Senior assaulted

A Chatham man faces charges after police say someone assaulted a senior citizen in Tilbury Monday evening.

Police were called about 5:20 p.m. over an altercation between two people on Young Street in Tilbury.

Officers investigated and learned a dispute between the two turned violent, and a 70-year-old Tilbury man was assaulted.

A 41-year-old Chatham man is charged with assault.

The post Tuesday Chatham-Kent police briefs first appeared on The Chatham Voice.

By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Preliminary work to upgrade a section of breakwall in Wallaceburg’s river basin is set to begin.

Council approved the Sydenham Fork Breakwall Assessment project in the consent agenda at a recent meeting, awarding the $414,337 contract to Delta Science and Engineering Inc.

According to a staff report, the area to be assessed is located between the Lord Selkirk Bridge and the forks where the north and east branches of the Sydenham River meet.

The project includes inspecting approximately 800 metres of breakwall and 650 metres of pedestrian infrastructure in the designated area, as well as the camera inspection of all adjacent storm and sanitary sewers.

The assessment project is in line with Wallaceburg South Side Secondary Plan, which council approved in 2024. The plan is a co-ordinated revitalization along the banks of the Sydenham, and its proposed improvements include the extension of breakwalls as part of enhancements to improve parkland and pedestrian areas.

“The findings from these inspections will guide future rehabilitation or replacement projects and budgeting processes, to plan for the detailed design and necessary capital lifecycle improvements,” the report said, and will help guide the “planning for the park space on the south side of the shoreline,” as set out in the south-side plan.

The work will also include additional studies and investigations such as geotechnical, archaeological, and natural heritage assessments, as well as bathymetric and topographic surveys.

Starting immediately, the assessment is expected to conclude in August.

Delta was the lowest of three bids submitted to the municipality in the request for proposal project.

Consultation with First Nations and other government stakeholders will be carried out as part of the assessment.

Funding for the project is coming through the capital budget process.

The post Breakwall upgrades in the works in ’Burg first appeared on The Chatham Voice.

Nutrition programs feed thousands of C-K students

By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Never underestimate the power of a cheese string or a bunch of grapes.

That’s according to those who help feed children in 46 schools in Chatham-Kent. Administered by the Victorian Order of Nurses, the local Ontario Student Nutrition Program (OSNP) distributes more than 1.8 million snacks annually to some 15,000 students in Chatham-Kent.

As part of a Fueling Our Futures awareness event held recently at Retro Suites in Chatham, two local educators shared the many positives the OSNP has on local youth.

Mike Hardwood, vice-principal at Tecumseh Public School in Chatham, and Mike Ostropolec, co-ordinator of the breakfast program at Tilbury District High School, get to see the difference nutrition makes in the lives of students.

“We are probably the most diverse school in Chatham,” Hardwood said, adding the school population draws from every socio-economic group.

“On average, we are probably feeding 400 students a day,” Hardwood told the gathering, at a cost of about $1,000 a week.

He said the school is also helping 25 families with food, clothing and hygiene products.

“A lot of families don’t know where to turn.”

According to Hardwood, 24 snack plates are prepared and delivered to every homeroom each morning.

“You wouldn’t believe the amount of students who can’t believe they have a cheese string,” Hardwood said, adding some students come from families who either can’t afford or don’t value nutrition.

Participating in the program is rewarding for everyone involved, including volunteers and donors.

“You will see just the absolute joy in the faces of these students and how much it means to them that somebody cares about them,” he said. “It’s a really hard thing to talk about sometimes…to see a kid who’s struggling…and they get what they need.”

Ostropolec echoed Hardwood.

“I have personally witnessed students who come to school hungry and it’s not a sight to see,” Ostropolec said, adding he wasn’t aware of such problems when he was in high school.

However, he said he’s “seen the joy” the nutrition program brings.

“Who would have thought a cheese string could literally bring someone to tears? Those faces of the students are just etched into my mind.”

A total of 300 healthy snacks are provided each day at TDHS, he added, and a hot breakfast or lunch is served every Friday.

“It gives students an opportunity to start their day with something positive,” Ostropolec said.

Ostropolec’s wife Amy, community development coordinator for the C-K program, said nutrition is critical to young minds.

“Being universal and accessible to all students is very important to our program,” Ostropolec said. “There are always fresh fruits and vegetables available – that’s a requirement of the program.”

Based on capacity and need, each school is able to tailor their program, she added.

A lack of food at home is but one of the reasons children and youth access the program, Amy said. Early mornings, extracurricular activities and a chance to eat with their peers are other reasons students utilize it.

“The impact of nutrition just doesn’t affect one area of life – it affects all areas,” she said. “It affects their bodies and the way that they move. It encourages children to choose healthier options and it improves concentration.

“It influences attitudes and behaviours to last a lifetime.”

Seed money for the OSNP is provided through the federal and provincial governments and is supported by a wide range of volunteers. Based on an estimate of $1.50 per snack, the local program costs about $4 million annually.

The post Fuelling our future first appeared on The Chatham Voice.

Blenheim area basketball players can look forward to a new three-on-three court at McGregor Kinsmen Park.

To be constructed by AUBI Design, the $90,000 project is being made possible thanks to a $45,000 donation from the Ridge Landfill Community Trust and $45,000 from South Kent Coun. Anthony Ceccacci who is utilizing the cash from his portion of the Hydro One Community Fund.

Ceccacci told council he was happy to see the court moving forward, noting it’s the first municipally owned amenity of its type in Blenheim.

Each C-K councillor and the mayor are given an annual allowance via the Hydro One fund to be spent on community projects within their ward.

The post Holding court in Blenheim first appeared on The Chatham Voice.

By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

“You never get bored.”

That’s what second-year apprentice Stella Beesley has to say about her job as a millwright in Ontario.

“I really like how it’s different every day,” the 23 year old told The Voice. “I like to be able to look at a problem and learn how to fix the issue … I feel like I’ve learned how to fix so many things and I can even work on my own car.”

Beesley, a member of Local 1244, was on hand last week at Chatham-Kent’s Workforce Week Job Fair, helping man the Millwright Regional Council booth. The council covers the area from Windsor to Wallaceburg.

Beesley, who after high school worked for CN Rail, saw an ad on social media for millwright apprentices. She applied, and the rest is history.

“The only experience I had when I applied was my experience on the railroad where I was building the rails,” she explained. “I didn’t have any manufacturing experience, but I applied in 2024 at a time when they were taking in a lot of apprentices.”

Beesley likes what she’s seen so far. She’s worked at a variety of jobs including installing machinery at the NextStar Energy battery plant in Windsor.

“I learned how to weld and fabricate at that job,” she added. “I was able to get my welding tickets through the union.”

A millwright is a skilled tradesperson who installs, maintains, troubleshoots, and repairs industrial machinery and mechanical equipment, such as conveyors, pumps, and presses. A first-year apprentice starts at around $30 an hour, which rises to $50 an hour when the apprenticeship is complete. The three-to-four-year apprenticeship includes 7,280 hours of on-the-job training, 720 hours of in-school training, as well passing a certification exam at the end.

“I wanted to do a trade that was more hands-on and I like doing precision work” she added.

As for being female in a traditionally male role, Beesley said it can be “challenging,” but women are continuing to make headway.

“But it’s definitely getting better and this union is good about hiring women,” she said. “They’re making strides.”

For anyone looking to become a millwright – male or female – Beesley said it’s important to get as much relevant experience as you can prior to applying.

But she admits it can be “tough” to get in.

“You have to keep applying over and over,” she said, noting you have to meet people and make connections.

Her comments are echoed by third-year apprentice Jesse Van Belle. Van Belle completed a B.A. at Brock University and worked in manufacturing in Leamington before applying to become an apprentice millwright.

Van Belle, 28, said he has no regrets.

“We have fun at work and we do good work,” he explained, stressing the key to success in an apprenticeship is a willingness to learn.

The millwright booth was among 80 employer booths at the John D. Bradley Centre March 4, marking the municipality’s third annual job fair. According to C-K employment and social services manager Matt Keech, the event set an attendance record, drawing 2,040 jobseekers.

Keech said some 400 jobs were available at the fair, ranging from trade unions to health care to agriculture to non-profits and more.

“There’s really something for everyone,” Keech said. “Some people are looking for a career change and some people are looking for a career – you’re going to find it here.”

As for finding an apprenticeship, Keech admitted that it can be “tricky,” noting prospects need to market themselves and work with a program like C-K Jobs.

“Employers that are here, they’re vetting you,” he added. “They’re looking for a certain maturity, reliability and so on. Sometimes you need a stepping stone opportunity first to get your foot in the door.”

According to Keech, the local job rate is faring better than expected. As of November 2025, the unemployment rate in Chatham-Kent was 5.7 per cent. In January of this year, the rate for Ontario was 7.9 per cent.

“It’s a perplexing job market,” Keech stated, noting that while tariffs have impacted some businesses, many are still going strong.

“There are significant opportunities,” he said.

The post Job fair draws 2,000-plus first appeared on The Chatham Voice.

Dresden’s storied Glenlochie Lodge has captured a pair of awards honouring Chatham-Kent’s historical past.

The expansive Victorian home, owned by John and Christy Cummings, won the top spot in the recent Mayor’s Heritage Awards for Residential Preservation and Restoration, as well the People’s Choice Award.

Close to 200 people attended the Chatham-Kent Municipal Heritage Committee’s Heritage Day event at Retro Suites recently, followed by the mayor’s awards ceremony which drew 90 people.

According to a municipal media release, the mayor handed out five awards recognizing “exceptional efforts to protect or restore local heritage buildings to an original or historically accurate state.”

The Industrial and Commercial Award also went to a Dresden property recognizing 103, 107, 111, 123, 131 Brown St..

The Rural and Agricultural Award was bestowed on 11052 River Line Chatham, and the Adaptive Reuse Award went to 44 William St. N. in Chatham.

The expansive three-storey Glenlochie Lodge was built in 1883 by Alexander “Sandy” McVean. The Cummings purchased the brick structure in 2019 and poured their energy into restoring the home to its original grandeur.

Mayor Darrin Canniff said the municipality is fortunate to have a rich and diverse collection of heritage properties that reflect the evolution of Chatham-Kent, and efforts must continue to preserve them.

“Without continued commitment to protecting these irreplaceable landmarks, we risk losing site of the stories, craftsmanship, and historical events that have shaped who we are today and link future generations to those who came before,” Canniff said.

Gabriel Clarke, manager of growth and sustainability for C-K, praised the work of the heritage committee.

“The efforts that the Municipal Heritage Committee put into hosting Heritage Day and relaunching the Mayor’s Heritage Awards are worth noting,” he said. “The committee worked for months to prepare for the event, gathering nominations, judging properties, promoting Heritage Day, and co-ordinating all the details needed to make it a success. In addition to recognizing the winners, the committee itself deserves to be acknowledged for its dedication and hard work.”

The post Heritage hardware, knowledge distributed first appeared on The Chatham Voice.

The 14th annual Chatham Auto Show at the John D. Bradley Convention Centre March 6-8 featured more than 100 vehicles from 10 Chatham car dealerships and helped raise funds for the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance as well as local food banks.

Above, early bird prospective shoppers check out the selection.

Below, volunteers Carol Markham, Lorraine Stephenson and Chris Taylor show off some of the food donations.

The post 100 choices, one location first appeared on The Chatham Voice.

Students at École secondaire catholique de Pain Court (ESPC) got to enjoy some morning sunshine Monday after staff at the school detected the smell of smoke inside the building.

Staff and students evacuated as a safety precaution and fire crews were called.

A team from Station 4 Dover responded and investigated. Officials say the traced the smell back to a malfunctioning rooftop HVAC unit.

Power to that unit was cut and repairs are underway.

After confirming that was the only cause of the smell and that there were no other hazards, firefighters issued the all-clear notice, and students and staff returned to class rooms.

The post Faulty HVAC unit leads to school exodus first appeared on The Chatham Voice.

Alcohol + anger = arrest

A man faces charges after police say he freaked out on several occasions over the weekend.

Police were called shortly after 1 a.m. Saturday morning from a Grand Avenue East business in Chatham. The report was a intoxicated man did not like that the staff at the business were trying to get him to leave. Police say he assaulted a staff member before leaving.

Officers found the suspect a short distance away and arrested and charged him with assault.

He was taken to police headquarters, where police say he assaulted an officer and damaged the holding cell.

As a result, the man is also charged with assaulting a peace officer and mischief.

Why? Just…why?

A woman faces multiple charges after police say she yanked on the steering wheel, after having assaulted the driver, and caused a vehicle to crash into a hydro pool on the weekend.

Police were called Saturday night about 10:15 p.m. for a reported collision on Bloomfield Road.

Officers arrived and learned the driver and the passenger were in breach of a court order just for being together. Heck, they weren’t supposed to even communicate with one another.

As a result of the in-car altercation, a 28-year-old woman is charged with failing to comply with an undertaking, uttering threats to cause death, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and mischief – endangering life.

Door bash, dash, arrest

Kicking open a door will get you charged.

That was the case Saturday morning in Chatham, when police say a booted open a door to a woman’s residence about 7:45 a.m.

Police say he also damaged property inside the residence.

A 31-year-old man is charged with break and enter, as well as mischief.

Caught in the act

A Blenheim man faces charges in the wake of a weekend break and enter in Blenheim.

Police say the break-in occurred about 5:50 a.m. at a commercial property on Story Street in Blenheim.

Officers arrived on the scene and found a man trying to hide equipment inside the building.

A 43-year-old Blenheim man is charged with break and enter, as well as possession of break-in instruments.

The post Monday Chatham-Kent police briefs first appeared on The Chatham Voice.

Chatham-Kent police are investigating break and enters that took place at three different locations on Thursday.

The first occurred at a residence on Vanier Drive in Chatham. Sometime between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., someone got into the garage and walked off with about $250 in DeWalt tools and batteries.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Const. Patrick Uzoma at patricku@chatham-kent.ca or 519-436-6600. Anonymous callers may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) and may be eligible for a cash reward.

Someone got into a home on Dale Drive sometime between 12:30 p.m. and 1:50 p.m.

Police say the culprits damaged the lock on the main door to get in.

The thieves took various items worth about $2,000, and also made off with about $400 in U.S. currency.

Uzoma is the investigating officer here. If you have info on this crime, you’re asked to contact him at patricku@chatham-kent.ca or 519-436-6600, or use the aforementioned Crime Stoppers.

And on Thursday evening, about 7:30 p.m., police learned that two buildings in Glen Mickle Park in Wallaceburg got hit.

Through investigation, it was learned that a break and enter had taken place into the park washrooms between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

No items were taken, but the approximate cost to repair the damaged doors is $2,000.

Anyone with information regarding this incident are encouraged to contact Const. Ashleigh Lablance at ashleighl@chatham-kent.ca or 519-436-6600. Anonymous callers may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

The post Apparently, it was Break-In Thursday first appeared on The Chatham Voice.